LIMESTONE, Maine — Limestone’s budget committee sat down with Police Chief Stacey Mahan Wednesday and discussed every line item in the 2017-18 municipal law enforcement budget. While budget discussions between municipal officials and department heads are par for the course in most towns, Wednesday’s meeting was unique in that the future of Limestone’s police depends on the results of an upcoming referendum in which voters can choose 24-hour police coverage, 18-hours, or no police at all.
The town currently provides round-the-clock policing services.
Limestone’s Board of Selectpeople voted to take the matter to referendum during an April 24 public hearing. The budget committee, instead of agreeing on a financial recommendation, voted against the Selectpeople’s decision to take this matter to referendum, with many committee members adding that the vote should be taken during the annual town meeting.
As of the April 26 meeting, the referendum is scheduled for June 13 while the annual town meeting is slated for the following day, June 14.. The town will not have to pay an extra fee for the referendum since it’s set for the same time and place as the vote for selectmen candidates.
Town Manager Fred Ventresco said during the April 26 meeting that, in his recent conversations with Maine Municipal Association staff, they said the matter would be better suited for a town meeting as well.
“They debated this and really tried for us,” Ventresco said, “but if you read the statute you’ll find out why (they recommended the vote for town meeting). Referendum questions really aren’t meant for budgets, but if you want to do it, it needs to be presented in this manner, with yes or no questions.”
With three options on the referendum, committee members were concerned that, hypothetically, if 30 percent of voters selected 24-hour police coverage, another 30 percent voted for 18-hour staffing, and the remaining 40 percent voted for no coverage, the town would be left with no police, even though more than half the town voted otherwise.
Ventresco said the referendum could be decided by majority vote, meaning one of the three options would need over 50 percent voter approval to move forward. Members of the budget committee were skeptical of this happening with a three-way vote.
The town manager shared budget proposals delineating the relative increases associated with 24-hour, 18-hour, and no police coverage during the meeting. Because of mandatory wage increases, 24-hour coverage would cost the town $45,313, or 16.6 percent, more than last year. 18-hour coverage would cost $5,563, or 2 percent, more than the 2016-17 total of $273,393.
Altogether the total 2017-18 operating costs for the town would be $2,221,336.52 with 24-hour police coverage, $2,181,386.52 with 18-hour staffing, and $1,902,630.52 with no police. Ventresco clarified that the budget totals are subject to change, as the town is considering withdrawal from RSU 39 and independently managing their school. The estimate shows a $23,958 increase from last year, which the town manager says could fluctuate depending on the town’s actions.
As of April 26, the referendum is unwritten and there is no confirmation that the outcome will be selected by majority (over 50 percent) or plurality (highest number of votes). The police vote will be discussed in further detail by the town’s selectpeople when they meet on Tuesday, May 2nd in the town office at 6:30 p.m..
